


The littlest Shelby.

by orphan_account



Category: Peaky Blinders, Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Attempted Suicide, F/M, Falling In Love, Happy Ending, Marriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-05
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2019-02-10 20:12:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12919401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Clara is friends with Finn from the age of ten and grows up teaching him to read and to write. Problem is Finn won’t speak to her. Until one day, he has to.





	The littlest Shelby.

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t know if I like this... hmm

Clara was ten years old when she first met Finn Shelby. The small (for his age) 12 year old was running to take a letter to his oldest brother when he ran right into her. Knocking them both down onto the ground. Clara screamed and shoved Finn off her as he apologised quickly helping her up before starting to run again. Clara huffed looking down to the holes in her new tights her mother had made her for the winter. Her lip wobbling she balled her fists. 

Being the strong willed little madam she was she stomped right over to the house that Finn had ran from and knocked on the door hard enough for her little knuckled to turn pink. Her eyes brimming with tears and scuffs on her knees she waited for someone to answer. It was Ada who had opened the door and saw the little blonde girl standing their ready to sob at any moment. “Hello sweetheart are you okay?” Ada frowned crouching down to the girls level. 

“T-the boy who come f-from here! H-he knocked me overs a-and!” She hiccuped, Ada tilted her head. “Ripped my n-new tights. I w-wants his mother to t-tells him off” she huffed out finally. Ada was to busy coping at the girl to notice aunt poll and Tommy behind her. 

“Come on sweetheart, come in and we’ll get you cleaned up. It would’ve been Finn who bumped you, he’s always in a hurry. I’ll make sure our aunt poll gives him an earful okay?” She smiled taking her hand and escorted her inside, only then noticing her aunt and brother. Clara had taken off her tights and Ada had fixed them with her sewing machine before poll cleaned up her knees. It wasn’t until 6pm that Finn came home just as Tommy was about to walk the small girl home. 

“Finn what do you have to say for yourself knocking this poor little one flying” Ada scolded, Finn just looked at Clara and shrugged before handing Tommy some paper and heading into the kitchen. Tommy chuckled to himself as Clara stuck her tongue out at him. 

9 years later.

Clara was sat in the park reading her new book when she felt someone sit beside her. “Hello Finn” she smiled, not looking at him. Finn never spoke much, but around Clara he didn’t breath a word, afraid he would embarrass himself or sound stupid compared to how intelligent Clara was. She had grown used to him being mute while he was with her, only ever hearing him speak in the company of his brothers or Michael. Which she wasn’t around for often. 

“Did you bring a book or do you want to read this one with me?” She asked looking up at him now. He held out a book and nodded to the bookmark. Clara opened it and smiled seeing he had underlined the words he couldn’t read. “Okay then Finn lets get started” 

Clara had been helping Finn to read since she was 15, four years later he could read as well as John and Arthur only stumbling over a few words, that’s why Clara still helped him. No one knew the youngest Shelby couldn’t read or write, no one other than his aunt pol who always told him it didn’t matter he still had the brains to do and be whoever he wanted. But who finn wanted to be was someone who could write and read.

“I can’t meet you tomorrow finn, I have a family dinner I have to attend” Clara explained as they finished the last page of the book. Finn’s face looked confused they had never missed a day or reading with each other. Except holidays or for sickness. “I know, I know. But ma’ says it’s important” she huffed standing up. “Come on finn lets go get a drink.”

The next day Clara had run from her house crying. Her heart beating a million miles an hour, she couldn’t do it, she wouldn’t. She would not marry that man! A man 13 years her senior just so her father could get a bloody job. She had managed to get to the canal before anyone could find her. She knew her family would get the word out she had run away and she would be found soon enough. She felt sick her whole world felt like it had been flipped upside down. She was 19 for Christ’s sake she didn’t want to be some little wife, she wanted to be a painter or a teacher or a bloody barmaid if that’s all she could be. 

As she stood staring at the water her arms wrapped around herself she heard movement behind her. She had to be quick. She couldn’t run away she would be found and forced down the isle. She had no choice. Her last thoughts were of finn and what he would do without her to help him. Clara took a steadying breath and climbed onto the edge of the stone bridge. “I’m sorry” she whispered. Before falling forwards into the ice cold water. The shock of the cold made her gasp taking in water quickly, it burnt her lungs worse than anything that she had ever felt. She tried to stay calm and not push up to the surface. She was about to let go when she felt something wrap around her waist and she was being pulled to the surface again.

She heard a loud gasp and some coughing as she was dragged to the edge of the canal and pushed up onto the grass. Her eyes opening a little she began to cough loudly choking out the water she had swallowed. She rolled onto her side spluttering, Clara’s eyes widening as she saw a soaking wet finn lay next to her looking up at the sky panting. “What the fucking were you thinking!” He shouted getting his breath back. 

Unable to speak still Clara just stared at him. “You nearly died Clara! Fucking died!” He sat up pushing his hair from his face. He looked down at her and did the same for her. Clara stared at him for another few moments before closing her eyes she passed out.

Finn carried back home ignoring everyone who asked if they were okay and if they needed help. He just sent a glare to tommy who opened his mouth as soon as he stepped into the house. He carried Clara up to his room and lay her on the bed not caring if everything was sleeping wet. Not thinking he stripped her down to her undergarments and frowned. She needed out of them but he wouldn’t do it. He decided he needed Ada. 

Leaving Clara in the bed he ran to his sisters room banging on the door “ADA!” He shouted, she wasn’t there. Suddenly Arthur, John, Tommy and aunt Polly were stood next to him each getting more worried by the second “pol it’s Clara she tried to kill herself i got her out but she needs out of the wet clothes and I can’t-I cant” he shook his head more. Before he could finish Polly was already in his room sorting the poor girl out. Arthur put his arm around him. “Come on finn lets leave pol to work her magic. You need to get out of these clothes”Tommy squeezed his shoulder. “Let’s grab a drink.” John nodded following them down the stairs.

Clara woke up with Polly sat next to her. Her hair now dry and in one of Ada’s dresses. “Hi sweetheart” she hummed stroking. The hair from her face. Clara sniffled. “I can’t do it pol” she whispered “he’s 13 years older than me, he has five children” she began to cry into her lap. Polly listened and held her as she cried. “Come on love this will all be much better with a cup of tea.” She sighed standing up. Clara nodded wiping her tears away. 

Pol held onto her as they walked down to the kitchen. The boys sat around the table. Each of them ruffling her hair as she walked past making her smile a little. She sat next to finn while pol made her a drink. “I think we should give her and Finn some time come on out” she shooed the brothers from the kitchen handing Clara her tea before leaving and closing the door behind her. 

It was quiet for a while until she sneezed and finn looked at her. “I’m sorry finn” she whispered playing with the rim of her cup. “Why?” He asked glancing at her. She shrugged “cuz you’re probably going to get sick now and you’ll ha-“ “no why’d you try to top y’self” finn didn’t mince his words he spoke clearly.

Clara looked at him “ma’ ‘n da’ want me to marry Mr Richard.” He began to laugh. “As in the old man with all the kids down by the cut?” She nodded again smiling a little at his laugh. 

“So why’d you not come to me? You know I’d have helped you” He nudged her gently. “How could you av’ ‘elped me finn? You don’t talk ‘ta me” Clara huffed turning her body to face him now, “all off ten years I’ve known you Shelby and five of which we’ve seen each other every day. Not one word ‘ya spoke to me” finn sighed nodding. 

“I’m scared ya’ll think I’m stupid” he paused looking down “if I don’t speak, you won’t stop botherin with me” Clara but him lightly “you’re one idiot Finn Shelby. You’re the brightest boy this side of Birmingham. I’ll ‘ave you know you read better than all of your brothers put together” she smiled. 

“Only cuz I had the best teacher” Finn’s cheeks flushed a little. They stayed quiet for a while. “What am I goin to do finn?” She whispered leaning her forehead on his shoulder. Finn hooked his finger under her chin. “Marry me?” He shrugged.

Clara chuckled “Finn Shelby you make me smile” he frowned as she pulled back. “I’m serious Clara. I’ve loved you for so long I can’t even remember a time when I would wake up in the morning and not run to my window to to be able to catch a glimpse of you leaving to go to the market” he sighed his hand holding her cheek. “I love you more than anything Clara I would do anything for you, to be with you.” 

Clara’s eyes filled with tears “I bloody love you Finn Shelby” she laughed leaning forward to kiss him. He quickly kissed her back with everything his had. Finn lifted her up to sit sidewards on his lap. “So Little shelby” she whispered stroking his cheeks. “You want to marry little old me?” She grinned giggling. 

“I want to more than just marry you Clar.” He smiled cheekily. “So Clara James will you do me the honour of marrying me?” He asked leaning his forehead against hers. 

Clara nodded quickly. “Of course I will you idiot” she whispered kissing him once again. “TOMMY GET THE BOYS READY! THERES TO BE A WEDDING TONIGHT!” He shouted standing up spinning Clara around a little. 

Cheers erupted and the word ‘finally’ was shouted more than once. Finn set Clara down smiling at her. “The littlest Shelby” he smiled winking at her. “My Little shelby.”


End file.
